Lydia Brandt, Balentine’s attorney, has said the defendant’s trial attorney did not include any evidence of Balentine’s violent and abusive childhood, which might have swayed jurors toward a sentence of life in prison.

A Potter County jury found Balentine guilty in 1999 of fatally shooting Mark Edward Caylor Jr., 17; Kai Brooke Geyer, 15; and Steven Brady Watson, 15. Authorities said he fired .32-caliber pistol shots into the heads of all three teens as they slept in an East 17th Avenue residence.

Prosecutors said the incident stemmed from an argument between Balentine and Caylor, whose sister had been in a relationship with Balentine. — Amarillo Globe-News

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CANYON — Canyon residents who break city watering restrictions could face fines of $50 to $500.

Police will begin enforcing the restrictions under the second stage of the city’s drought plan, which requires residents to water their lawns only at specific times on designated days, Canyon Police Chief Dale Davis said Monday.

Residents at odd-numbered addresses are permitted to water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Residents at even-numbered properties can water Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, according to the plan. No irrigation is allowed on Mondays.

Residents are permitted to water from midnight to 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight on their designated day, Davis said.

Many people don’t realize they must stop watering at midnight, and that drives up water use throughout the city, Davis said.

City Manager Randy Criswell said people may inadvertently violate the drought plan because they don’t know how to configure their watering system or simply have not heard about the restrictions.

Davis said officers will issue a warning the first time someone is caught watering outside the designated times, and officers issue citations for multiple violations.

City Manager Randy Criswell said police will issue warnings for a first offense because it wants to educate people about water restrictions more than just hand out fines.

Criswell said the city entered the second stage of its drought plan for the first time in June and since has been working on a plan to enforce the restrictions. The city enters the first phase of the plan when daily water usage reaches at least 65 percent of production capacity for five consecutive days. Canyon enters Stage 2 of the plan when consumption reaches 75 percent of capacity. — Amarillo Globe-News

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LUBBOCK — A plea deal gave a Lubbock teenager once facing life in prison charged with capital murder the chance to walk as a free man by the time he’s 33.

Jakey Ayers was 15 when he was accused of playing a role with two other youths in the death of 28-year-old Marqus Lewis, who was found shot to death inside a residence in May 2010.

But after three months on the lam before nearly two years waiting in jail going through the legal motions in preparation for a capital murder trial, Ayers’ capital charge was downgraded to felony murder with a potential sentence of 30 years and the eligibility to serve parole after 15 years in prison, according to the 137th District Court and Ayers’ attorney, Jeff Nicholson.

Nicholson said the plea deal, forged Monday in Lubbock County’s 137th District Court, comes after more than a year of negotiations with prosecutors.

Ayers’ youth was among factors considered in the plea deal.

Nicholson said his client has been “very remorseful” through the legal process. — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

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LUBBOCK — About $250,000 likely will go back into the city coffers as part of a proposed out-of-court settlement awaiting the Mayor’s signature.

The proposed settlement between state attorney generals and J.P. Morgan & Chase & Co. would reward Lubbock with a $258,671.20 settlement for deposit in the city’s water fund as J.P. Morgan and its associates are accused of violations of state and federal antitrust laws involving the marketing, sale and placement of municipal bond derivatives, according to the city.

Lubbock’s City Council will decide whether to allow Mayor Glen Robertson to accept the agreement in a resolution slated for Thursday’s 6:15 p.m. council meeting in the City Hall council chambers

Robertson said accepting the settlement agreement is a straightforward process.

The council’s backup agenda shows the recovery relates to bonds issued by the city in July 2005 to pay for debt service on outstanding Brazos River Authority Lake Alan Henry revenue refunding bonds from 1995.

The 1995 bonds were issued in connection to the construction of Lake Alan Henry. — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal